dissection

noun

dis·​sec·​tion dī-ˈsek-shən How to pronounce dissection (audio)
also
di- How to pronounce dissection (audio) ˈdī-ˌsek- How to pronounce dissection (audio)
1
: the act or process of dissecting : the state of being dissected
2
: an anatomical specimen prepared by dissecting

Examples of dissection in a Sentence

the book's dissection of the problem of obesity in this country
Recent Examples on the Web Reading all 1,000-odd pages of Infinite Jest, or watching all three hours of Oppenheimer, is considered a worthwhile accomplishment in a way that watching a 60-second TikTok dissection of shower grout is not. Caroline Mimbs Nyce, The Atlantic, 15 Jan. 2024 The bodies that came to us for dissection were those of panhandlers and orphans unclaimed after death who had died on the streets of the city and came to us via the mortuaries. Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 14 Jan. 2024 McCrane had to stick his head through a hole in the set's dissection table for the entire scene. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 10 Sep. 2023 Aortic dissection occurs in about 2 out of 10,000 people and is most often seen in men ages 40 to 70, according to the National Library of Medicine. Vanessa Etienne, Peoplemag, 15 Jan. 2024 The most intricate dissection was that of the hand. Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 14 Jan. 2024 Symptoms of aortic dissection include sudden and severe chest or upper back pain, stomach pain, shortness of breath, loss of consciousness, leg pain, difficulty walking and more. Vanessa Etienne, Peoplemag, 15 Jan. 2024 Time and space do not permit a thorough dissection of the entire tool kit, but a few examples will suffice to demonstrate the profound ideological tone. Richard T. Bosshardt, National Review, 26 Dec. 2023 Image 1 of 2 (Amanda Tanner) Silva was then transferred to Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center, where an angiogram revealed that the teen had experienced a dissection of the artery. Melissa Rudy, Fox News, 28 Oct. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dissection.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1578, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dissection was in 1578

Dictionary Entries Near dissection

Cite this Entry

“Dissection.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dissection. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

dissection

noun
dis·​sec·​tion -ˈsek-shən How to pronounce dissection (audio)
-ˌsek-
1
: the act or process of dissecting : the state of being dissected
2
: a plant or animal or a part of one that has been dissected for study of the anatomy

Medical Definition

dissection

noun
1
: the act or process of dissecting or separating: as
a
: the surgical removal along natural lines of cleavage of tissues which are or might become diseased
b
: the digital separation of tissues (as in heart-valve operations) compare finger fracture
c
: a pathological splitting or separation of tissue see aortic dissection
2
a
: something (as a part or the whole of an animal) that has been dissected
b
: an anatomical specimen prepared in this way

More from Merriam-Webster on dissection

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